LAS VEGAS CONNECTION BY BART TORRES

Mix and Mingle at 17th Annual Bagel Ball
The Jewish Center of Southern Nevada is presenting their 17th Annual Bagel Ball on Saturday, December 24 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Beso Ultra Lounge located at Crystals inside City Center. The mix and mingle event, one of the largest gatherings for Jewish singles in Nevada, will feature cocktails, complimentary appetizers and dancing from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $25 for JCC members and $30 for non-members. For reservations, call (702) 744-0090 or visit www.jccsn.org.

Christmas Dining Vegas Style  
Spending the Christmas holidays in Las Vegas means plenty of eating and you will find an abundance of food, especially with all the buffets available. Family-style restaurants, be it gourmet or a more relaxed dining experience will also be putting their best foot forward with Christmas feasts being prepared. Since this is a busy time, reservations are a must, especially at the higher-end venues. A special multi-course menu priced at $55 per person is being prepared from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Central Michel Richard inside Caesars Palace on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For reservations call (702) 650-5921. All Station Casino properties restaurants will offer reasonably priced Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus; many being around $20 per person. Likewise, the Silverton is keeping your budget in mind with all their dining choices for Christmas Day ranging from $17.95 in the Sundance Grill, Season’s Buffet is $20.99 with a Players Club card and half price for children under 7. The Silverton’s Twin Creeks feast will run you $37. Chefs at MGM Resort’s International, which include ARIA, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, Luxor and Excalibur are all preparing festive feasts over the Christmas holidays. The family-friendly Hash Hash A Go Go, with several restaurants throughout town, will dish up dinner and brunch specials on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. You will find these eateries, known for their huge portions, at their Sahara location, M Resort, downtown’s Plaza, and Imperial Palace. Hash Hash Ago Go at Sahara will be not be open Christmas Day.

Santa Making Daily Appearances at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Aquarium  
Children have a few more days to visit with Santa at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Experience. Through Christmas Eve, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Santa Jaws and Kris Kringle will be at the shipwreck exhibit. With each paid admission, kids 12 and under will receive a candy cane and souvenir photograph with Santa. Admission is $18 for adults and $12 for children; little ones four and younger are free.      

Fremont Street Experience Celebrates New Year’s Eve with 4th Annual Tribute Palooza
There is nothing quite like the party that will be going on at downtown’s Fremont Street Experience’s  4th Annual Tribute Palooza New Year’s Eve celebration. From 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., two featured bands include Steel Panther and Rock Sugar. Additional entertainment will be provided by 10 other bands throughout the NYE bash. Tickets to the party are $30 and this is the only time of year when Fremont Street Experience charges any kind of admission. Ample parking is available for a $10 flat rate throughout the area. Guest must be 21 and older! For advanced tickets call (702) 386-8100 or log on to www.vegasexperience.com/newyearseve.

A Guideline for Ringing at the Old and Ringing in the New
There is no other city in the world that can compare with Las Vegas when it comes to celebrating the New Year. But here are a few facts you should know about before you hit the party scene. First of all the Strip will close down to all vehicles around 6 p.m. Tens of thousands of visitors will be hoofing it from hotel to hotel and if you plan to see the clock strike midnight, be sure you are in your hotel of choice before 11:00 p.m., after that, no one is admitted, guests of the property included! The doors do not reopen until around 12:30 a.m. Alcohol consumption (21 and over) is allowed outside on NYE and cops will be everywhere to try to control the crowds. For a ride back to your original destination, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada will offer free transient rides from 6 p.m. on New Years Eve until 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day. The Las Vegas Monorail will also be operating until 3 a.m. on January 1. Normal charges apply. For your convenience, if you do get stuck outside, porta-potties are everywhere. As in the past, the traditional pyrotechnic display, under the direction of Firworks by Grucci will be shot from eight casino rooftops including the Tropicana, Stratosphere, MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, Venetian, and the Aria. The spectacular show will last close to nine minutes

Last Minute Ideas for New Year’s Eve Parties and Dining
All of the Station Casino properties are keeping the budget in mind for those of you wanting to party the night away on New Year’s Eve. Here are a couple of choices: Green Valley Ranch’s Ovation begins welcoming revelers at 9 p.m. to enjoy and open bar until midnight for $75 in advance and $100 at the door. There is also a VIP package for four people going for $600 and a VVIP offer for $1,000. At Palace Station, there is no cover charge to enter the Louie Anderson Theatre where they will showcase a video DJ. An elegant prixe-fixe and wine pairing menu will be offered at Comme Ca inside The Cosmopolitan. The five-course first seating is 5-7:30 p.m. and priced at $125 per person. The seven-course second seating served from 8-midnight tops out at $195 per person. For reservations, call (877) 893-2001. For a festive New Year’s Eve celebration and a spectacular view of the fireworks, check out Caesars Central Michel Richard’s outdoor terrace where free-flowing champagne and hors d’oeuvres will be served from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. The price is $201.20. For reservations, call (702) 650-5921. This new dining experience is open 24/7. Create your own party inside The Venetian and The Palazzo where Fusion Mixology Bar, Laguna Champagne Bar, Salute Lounge, Oculus and La Scena will host Midnight Mix, an open bar from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Party goers can select premium liquor, sparkling wine, Redbull and domestic beer for $100, plus taxes and fees. A DJ will pump up the volume for an evening of dancing at Laguna and live bands will entertain at Salute and La Scena on Friday and Saturday. Tickets may be purchased at any Venetian or Palazzo box office. Encore’s Surrender Nightclub welcomes Grammy-Award winning musician and producer will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas as the host of their New Year’s Eve bash. Tickets are $150 for the guys and $50 for the girls. Over at the Riviera, Vanessa Williams performs at 9:30 inside the Royale Pavilion with general admission going for $82.50, preferred seating $110 and VIP seating with unlimited drinks is priced at $170.50. Another hot spot to welcome in the New Year is Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile Shops where FRESH Grill & Bar, PBR Rock Bar and Cabo Wabo Cantina will stay open until 4 a.m. Party the night away at Treasure Island’s Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall & BBQ where they will be holding a three hour party with an open bar from 9 a.m. to midnight, with food, live entertainment and viewing of the fireworks. Tickets range from $149-$212. For those of you  feeling the pain from NYE, Red Rock Resort’s LBS Burger Joint is inviting you to their New Year’s Day Hangover Special which features the Bacon ‘N Eggs burger and Bloody Mary cocktail for the price of $12.12.

Electronic Craps in Play at Bellagio
It’s hard to keep track of all the new slots constantly being added to the casinos, but if you are looking for another variety of gaming you will find Electronic Craps at Bellagio with a minimum bet of $2 receiving good feedback from lovers of the traditional table game. While the limits are low, there is also a max of 2 times odds on bets. While Electronic Roulette has been around for some time, it finally seems to be taking off. In fact, many times players can’t find a seat during peak times.  

Mandalay Bay’s Lion King Performs Final Show December 30
After more than two-and-a-half years on the Strip, the acclaimed Disney’s THE LION KING playing at Mandalay Bay will perform its final show on Friday, December 30. When the curtain comes down, the cast will have performed in a total of 1,078 shows before more than 1.4 million fans. Remaining show dates are Monday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $64, $91.50, $118.50 and $168.50 for the VIP Package. Taxes are included, but additional service and fees apply. Make it a special evening by booking the show and prixe fixe dinner packages which start from $100 per person. Dining choices include RM Seafood, Stripsteak, Fleur by Hubert Keller and Shanghai Lily. For additional information, call (877) 632-7400.

INSIDE TIP: Bargain time! Once again, the South Point is pouring drinks at all casino bars for $2.00 through Christmas Eve.

“Make Room for Breakfast” Package at Aston Montelago Village Resort
Get away from it all and book a retreat at Aston Montelago Village Resort where they have recently launched a new romantic package deal.  “Make Room for Breakfast” gives guests an overnight stay and delicious breakfast for two at Harry’s Café  while enjoying the serenity of this quaint area just 17 miles from the Strip. The price of the package starts at $101 per night for a stay in a spacious Luna di Lusso studio. For reservations, call (866) 774-2924.

Wynn Las Vegas and Caesars get in the Spirit with Christmas Week Entertainment
With many of the regular shows being dark next week for the holidays there is still great entertainment to consider. At Wynn Las Vegas, accomplished Taiwanese folk singer and pianist Phil Chang will star in “Phil Chang and Tiger Huang Las Vegas Concert 2011” inside the Encore Theater Sunday, December 25 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. and Monday, December 26 at 7:30 p.m. Phil and Tiger will be joined on stage with special guest Terri Kwan performing special songs with the dynamic duo. Tickets are available for $48, $88 and $128, including tax and service charge. For tickets, call (702) 770-9966. Across the street, actor and stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld returns to The Colosseum at the palatial Caesars Palace for a two-night engagement December 26-27 at 7:30 p.m.  Tickets ranging in price from $75 to $150, plus tax and handling fees may be purchased in person at the box office, by calling (800) 745-3000 or on line at  www.ticketmaster.com.   

Check with resorts for all current offers published. Hotels have all rights and may cancel or modify at anytime. On your drive up to Vegas tune your radio to The Highway FM 98 & 99 for my up-to-date Las Vegas reports. GOOD LUCK!